Life-boat holding and launching device.



F. W. SIEVERS.

' LIFE BOAT HOLDING AND LAUNCHING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 14. 1917.

11 %4%8, 1&3 Patented Nov. 27, 191?.

WITNESSES 3 FREDERICK W. SIEVERS, 0E BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

LIFE-BOAT HOLDINGAND LAUNCI-IING DEVICE.

masses.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 2?, 1M1 "31'.

Application. filed March 14, 1917. Serial No. 154,693.

To all whom it may concern: 1

Be it known that I, FREDERICK W. SIEVERs, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Life-Boat. Holding and Launching Device, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to life-boat holding and launching devices, and the invention I has for its general objects to provide a device of this character which is of comparatively simple and inexpensive construction, reliable and efiicient in; use and so designed that the life-boat can be launched with a maximum despatch and a minimum effort.

ceeds, the invention comprises various novel features of construction and arrangement of parts which will be set forth with particularity in the following de'scription and claims appended hereto. i

In the accompanying drawing, which illustrates one embodiment of the invention and wherein similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views,

Figure 1 is a side view of the device with a portion in section;

Fig. 2 is an end view; and

Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view showing one of the keel supporting blocks and its holding means.

Referring to the drawings, A designates a lifeboat, B the davits and C the block and tackle by which the life-boat can be raised or lowered from the davits.

On the deck 1 are the rails 2 on which travels a truck D. This truck is provided with wheels 3 which ride on the rails, and on two or more corners of the truck body are clamps 4 which grip the rails 52, the clamps being fastened by means of a crank nut 5 threaded on a screw 6 which is fasnut the jaws are released from the rails so that the truck can be moved.

The boat A is normally supported on blocks 7 which lie under the keel 8 and directly support the same. These blocks are pointed or ii-shaped at their lower ends 9 and seat in recesses 9 in the top surface of the truck, and consequently the supporting blocks are unstable, so that they will immediately drop out of the way when their holding means is released. Each block is held bya clip or yoke 10 which is fixed on an arm 11 carried on a horizontal rock shaft 12, which shaft is journaled in bearings 13 fastened to the sides of the truck. On the outer ends of each shaft 12 are arms 1-1 whereby the shafts 12 can be rocked to en gage the holding clips 10 with or disengage them from the blocks 7. The arms 14 are held in looking position by any suitable means, such as a ring 15 engageable over each arm when the latter is in an upright position. The rings are slidable on links 16 on the lower ends of the bracing chains or elements 17 which latter have their links 16 fastened to the body of the truck, and the upper ends of the elements 17 are engaged by releasable catches 18 with gunwale gripping hooks 19.

When it is desired to launch the boat the rail clamps 1 are released so that the truck can be shifted into close proximity to the edge of the deck of the ship, and these rings 15 are raised to disengage the arms 14 so that the latter can be thrown outwardly from the full to the clotted-line position, Fig. 1, thereby releasing the blocks 7 so that they will drop from engagement with the boat. The bracing elements 17 are next detached so that the boat can swing outwardly on its davits free from the truck and be launched.

To hold the keel of the boat normally fixed the arms 11 have recesses 20 at their upper ends so as to receive the keel and thereby hold the lifeboat against lateral displacement on the supporting blocks 7. The blocks 7 are permanently fastened to the truck by means of ropes 21 or equivalent means fastened to the blocks and to the truck, as clearly shown in 1.

The clamps 4. are especially useful to control the travel of the truck in case the boat or vessel lists to one side. The clamps are loosened just sufiiciently to allow the truck to slide slowly down the rails, or, inother words the clamps can frictionally grip the rails with a grip which can be regulated, and consequently the launching of the-life boat can be more reliably effected.

From the foregoing description taken; in connection with the accompanying drawing, the advantages of the construction and method of operation willybe=readilyunderstood by those skilled in the art to which the invention, appertains and while llhave described the principle of operation, to gethcinwith :the device which I now consider toebe the best embodiment thereof, I desire to=have-it=unde1'stood that the device shown is merely illustrative and that such changes may be made When desired as fall-within the scope of the appended claims.

llaving thus described my invention, I claim asnew and desire to secure bycLetters Patent 1. The combination-of a truck; a lifeeboat, unstableblocks having pointed lower ends resting on the truck and on which the keel of the life-boat rests, and means for releasablygholding the blocks in boat-supporting position.

2. The combination of a truck, a life-boat, unstable, blocks having pointed lower ends resting on the truck and on'which the keel of the life-boat rests, and elements movably mounted on the truckto releasably hold .the blocks normally stationary. V

3.,Thecombination-of a truck, a life-boat, unstable blocks resting on the truck and on which; the keel of the life-boat rests, and elementszmovably mounted on the truck to releasably hold the blocks normallystationary, said elements having means for releasably engaging the keel of "the boat vtoiprevent lateralwmovement of the keelxoni the said blocks. v r

I. 4:. The combination of a truck, a life-boat,

" shafts on the" truck, arms on the shafts,

yokeson the arms -,for normally holding the blocks upright, and means for releasably holdingthe shafts with the yokes, engaged with the blocks.

aqThecombination of a truck, a lifeboat, supporting blocks having pointed lower ends resting on the tnuclc and on ithe topisui'faces OfmWlllCll thewkeel of the bo-atrests, :rock shafts onczthetruck arms-won "the shafts, yokes onrthe arms fornorm ally holding' the blocks upright,- and lmeans for releasably holding the shafts \with the yokes engaged with the blocks, .SilJiC ll arms-havingrecesses toengage the keel of aiboatiwhen-the arms are upright.

6. E The combination of-a truck; alife-boat, supporting blocks havingi pointedi low.er;ends resting on {the truck a'nd on theitop: surfaces of which the: keel w! of wther boat erests,-: rock shafts on stile: truck,- armson the. shafts, yokes on the, arms=fornormally holding the blocks upright; means for releasably holding theshafts "with the yokes engaged with the blocks,v said armshaving recesses toaengage the; keel of, a ebOZLt when, the arms are; upright,; and 1 releasable bracing} elements. Joetween the. gunwales of the =li-fesboat and the truck. V I ,7. The combination of: a: truckyimstable blocks on the truck, a lifeboat having, its keel] normally" resting or: the 3 blocks, swingingdevices mounted on the truck ito releasablyg hold the'blooks in normal position .LTIHS- OII'thGLClGYlCQS, braces-between. theilifeboat-"and truck; and means on: the hracesifor engaging; the-rarmsto hold: theideizices engaged with the blocks.

-EREDERIGK t sinvnns.

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